Closure



June 27, 1.944 w. H. HENDRlcKs. 2,352,382

CLOSURE Filed June 25, 1943 P l 20" y /'g l INVENTOR.

Patented June v27, 1944 UNITED STATES rPnrlalvT CL'O'SURE 'Waltcr H.Hendricks, iSycamore, vIll.

Application `June'25, 1943.,`S.eriall No. 492,273

f(Cl.!215-38) 8 laims.

This :invention relates to closures, and `more particularly is directed.to .the provision of y.closure meansfor containersformed ofnon-metallic materia1,..such as glass, ceramic, porcelain, orthe like.

Due to the fact that metal containers arebecoming increasingly difficultto obtain for -a large `variety .of products, the present .invention hasforits broadconcept the .provision of a :closure which will .providean'effective seal .for a container made of non-critical material, such.as glassorcrockerycf vone type .or another.

The particular vclosure construction to vwhich the present invention isdirected is onelin'which no critical materials are lemployed, .the capor closure member Vitself being Aformed of a nonferrous material, whichmaybeglass, plastic, or a synthetic product, and embodies the use :of anon-'critical-washer'or sealingA ring which is compressed between the`lipof the container and the closure cap by means of a plurality ofplastic tapered 'plugs engaging lcorrespondingly tapered surfaces on theclosure .or container for wedgin'g the closure into tight sealingengagement over the container opening. These plugs preferably are`driven Vradially inwardly through suitable supporting Yanges .in thecontainer vor closure membenand when in engaged position, securelymaintain the Yclosure in sealed'engagementonthe container.

One of the primary objects tof thepresentlinvention'therefore is toprovide a closure for a container embodying 'nofcritical'materiali-antisecured in place without the use of threads orfsimilarWell-known securing means Another object of the present invention *istoprovide a closure 'for a container which is-hld in sealed position bymeans of plugs or lock members forming Ya wedging Areaction wherebyupon'radial inward movement o'f the plugs, the closure `is wedged intosealed position over the lipof 'the container.

Othervobjects and `advantages of the present invention will 4appearmorefullyfrom the following'detailed description Which,'taken in'conjunctionWth'the'a'ccompanying drawing, will disclose to thoseskilled in the artrthe `particular constructionand operation of thepreferred form of the-present invention.

In the drawing:

.Figure 1 is a sectional view.takensubstantially on line I -IvofFigurefZ showing a container emvbodying the closure means ofthelpresent invention;

Figure r2 isatopplan .view .of the construction shown inFigurel;

-Figure 3 is .-aseotional view of a modified form ofconstruction .takensubstantially on line 3-3 oiFigurel;

:Figure-4 .isa topplan .viewof the construction showninFigure; and

AFiguref is fasectional view of a modified form of construction.

.Referring now-.in .detail to the drawing, in Figures l `and'2 `.thereis disclosed a container 5 provided nearits upper .surface with aradially in- Wardly extending flange .or nlip .E having an an# nularseat.'I.formed on the upper surface thereof..

Thecontainer .5 extends beyond the lip 6 and is .preferably thickened orreinforced thereabove to ,provide the cylindrical extension .8.

'The seat 'I'.of .the .container is .adapted to receive Aan annular.gasketS formed of a ber or similar gasket sealing .material Preferably,the container 5is formed of glass, Crockery, or a plastic material ofany desired type, and embodies .no .metallic material. The closure =Iv0is.preferably ofLatdisc-like. shape provided about'its periphery vvwitha beveled surface I2 tapering outwardly toward the annular edgeof theclosure. 'This closure-may also be fformed of glass,.or may be .formedof amolded plastic orthevl'ike.

.-'Atcircuniferentially .spaced points in the extendingflange 80ffthe.container,.there .are provided .openings .I3 adapted t0.receiveplugs I4, these plugs havingtaperedend portions I5 having .theisamedegreeof taper as the beveled edge l2.of theclosureor-.cap Vmember .Inoperation, the .plugs I4 are .disposed in a position outsideofthe.peripheralextent of the .cap member IIJ and the cap member I0isplaced on the .gasket Binthe .conventionalmannen The plugs I4 arethendriven inwardly `to engage -the .tapered surfaces vI5 .thereof withthe beveled surface I2 of the ,cap member, wedging .the cap member II]firmly down .upon thegasket .9 to provide .a .tight seal .for.the-.opening I6 of .the container.

.The plugs .I4 are yalso provided with recesses II .,disposedin,position such that they extend justinwardlyofthe.innerannular surfaceI8 of the iiange 8 when the .cap has been sealed in position. These.notches or recesses I7 are then adapted "to .receive suitable keymembers I9, which mayvbein the form of molded rectangular shaped piecesdropped .into the slots Il to hold the .plugs I4 against radial :outwardInovement. Or,.if-.desired, the-keys may be formed by dropping sealingwax or the like into slots to build up the key member for holding theplugs against outward displacement. This forms a lock preventing openingof the container until these key members have been removed. Such removalmay be accomplished by either pulling out the molded type of key ormerely by driving the plug member I4 outwardly in the event the key ismade of sealing wax or the like which will shear off the projectingportion of the key to allow the plugs to be moved outwardly. When movedoutwardly so that the inner ends of the plugs are disposed radiallyoutwardly of the peripheral surface of the cap member Ill, this membermay be readily removed to open the container for removing the contentsthereof. v

Preferably, three such plugs are employed spaced at 120 degrees aboutthe periphery of the flange 8, but it is to be understood that eithermore or less plugs may be employed, depending upon the diameter of thecontainer and the amount of sealing pressure required.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 3 and 4, the container 22`is provided with a neck portion 23 terminating in a radially outwardlydirected lip or flange 24 having on its upper surface the seat 25adapted to receive the gasket 26, which seats on the upper radialsurface of the lip 24. A cap member which is in the 'form of an invertedcup-shaped member 21 has the depending peripheral flange 28 whichextends about the neck 23 and lip 24 of the container. Mounted atcircumferentially spaced points in the flange 28 are plug members 29having tapered or conical inner end portions 3l) adapted to have wedgingengagement with the beveled or tapered under surface 32 of thelip 24 ofthe container. In operation after the cap member has been placed overthe gasket 26, the plugs 2Q are drivenl inwardly whereby the ends 30thereof wedge against the beveled surface 32 to force the cap member 21downwardly into rm engagement on the gasket 26 for sealing the container22. This forms a very tight seal.

For removal of the cap member, a suitable implement can be insertedbetween the end of the tapered portion 32 and the neck 23 of thecontainer to wedge the plug outwardly, or the plug 29 can be providedwith a suitable flange on the outer end thereof to facilitate suchremoval.

In the form of the invention shown in Figure 5, the container 4l) isprovided with a radially inwardly directed lip 42, similar to theconstruc-` tion shown in Figure 1, and is provided with a thickenedaxially extending upper flange portion 43 which is adapted to carry theplugs 44 corresponding to the plugs I4 and 29. The plugs 44 have theinner ends thereof tapered, as indicated at 45, and are adapted toengage on a beveled surface 46 formed on the cap member 41. In this formof the invention the cap member 41 is provided with ya beveled surface46 which increases in height, as indicated at 48, intermediate thecircumferentially spaced plugs 44 The cap member 41 is also provided onits upper surface with a transverse rib 49, whereby, after the capmember has been placed in position on the upper surface of the lip 42and the plugs 44 moved inwardly into the position shown, the operatormay grasp the rib 49 and rotate the cap member 41 on its seat 42,causing the higher portions 48 of the beveled edge 4B to movecircumferentially under the tapered surfaces of the plugs 44 to producethe desired wedging engagement. This locks the plugs 45 into positionfrictionally against removal, and also produces the desired sealingengagement. To remove the cap member 41, the rib 49 is again rotated tobring the low spots of the bevel edge 4S beneath the plug ends 45,thereby relieving the pressure on the plug ends so that the plugs may bepushed radially outwardly to facilitate removal of the cap member.

Preferably, the cap member 41 is formed of a plastic; whereas, thecontainer may be glass or any similar non-critical material.

It Will thus be seen thatl a self-locking cap member formed entirely ofnon-critical material is provided in each of the forms of the invention,and may be arranged for locking into position as by means of the keys I9 in Figure 1, or merely by the frictional engagement of the plugs 29 inthe openings formed in the retaining flanges since, due to the cammingaction provided by the beveled surfaces, the plugs have a resultantcomponent in a direction binding them in their supports.

Iam aware that various other modifications of this type of closure maybe made within the purview of the present disclosure, and I there@ foredo not intend to be limited except as' de, fined by the scope and spiritof the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In combination, a container member having an annular lip defining theopening thereof, a closure member adapted to be disposed over said lip,an annular tapered surface on one of said members, and circumferentially spaced plugs on theother of said members movableradially inwardly and having frusto-conical inner ends for wedgingaction on said tapered surface to clamp said closure member on said'lip.

2. The combination of claim l including means for locking said plugs inwedged position.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein all of said elements are formed ofnon-metallic material.

4. In combination, a non-metallic cylindrical container member having anvannular radially directed flange seat forming an opening 'into theinterior of said member, a gasket seated on saidA flange seat, a'non-metallic substantially disc-` like closure member having seatingengagement over said gasket and having a peripheral tapered surface, anannular flange on said container member encircling said closurememberwhen the latter is in seated position, and radially inwardlymovable plugs disposed in circumferentially spaced relation in saidencircling flange having frusto-conical inner ends adapted to engagesaid tapered surface for wedging said closure member axially onto saidseat.

5. In combination, a non-metallic substantially cylindrical containermember having a neck portion and a radially outwardly directed flangeterminating said neck portion, a non-metallic closure member comprisingan inverted cup-shaped member having its base seated on said flange and'having a depending annular skirt portion encircling said flange and neckportion, said flange having its lower annular surface tapered,radiallymovable plug means carried by said skirt por-I plugs areprovided with slots arranged. to be posi-` tioned inwardly of saidencircling flange when said closure member is in seated position, and

key means engageable in said slots to prevent radial outward movement ofsaid plugs.

7. In combination, a tubular container member having one end permanentlyclosed and the other end open, a radially inwardly directed angeadjacent said open end, a closure member adapted to seat on said Ilangeand having the upper peripheral surface thereof beveled radiallyoutwardly, and plug means mounted for radial inward movement in the wallof said container 10 member between said ange and open end, said plugmeans having frusto-conical inner ends adapted to have wedgingengagement on said beveled surface to press said closure memberdownwardly on said flange.

8. The combination of claim 7 wherein said beveled peripheral surface ofsaid closure member increases in axial thickness at circumferentiallyspaced portions and decreases in axial thickness intermediate saidportions, and said closure member is provided with a transverse rib tofacilitate rotation of said closure member on said flange for increasingthe wedging 'action of said plug means.

WALTER H. HENDRICKS.

